Destroying chemical weapons in Syria will take years, says expert

Jake Tapper - On the day U.S. senators were supposed to start voting on authorizing force against Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry will instead be on his way to Geneva to talk peace with his Russian counterpart to discuss a so-called third option – disarming Syria of its stockpile of chemical weapons.

"President Obama will take a hard look at it. But it has to be swift. It has to be real. It has to be verifiable. It cannot be a delaying tactic," Kerry said of Russia's diplomatic proposal.

Turning the proposal into reality is already facing its first hurdles. Russia said it would be "unacceptable" to blame the Syrian regime for last month's chemical attack, and insists any resolution must come with a renunciation of force by the U.S.

"You can't really ask Syria, or any other country, to disarm unilaterally while military action against it is being contemplated," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Undeterred, U.S. officials said they will still seek a force authorization, and that will only strengthen diplomacy.

"Nothing focuses the mind like the prospect of a hanging," said Kerry.    More  PTG